Andy Burnham, the current Catholic Prime Minister, is set to present legislation aimed at repealing an 1829 law that bars Catholic and Jewish prime ministers from advising the King on Church of England appointments. The Bill, introduced to the House of Commons, seeks to remove discriminatory provisions and allow future leaders of any faith to fully carry out their official duties related to church appointments. This change addresses a long-standing constitutional issue, as Burnham is the first openly Catholic PM in recent history.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
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An 'archaic' ban on Catholic and Jewish prime ministers advising the King on Church of England appointments will be repealed under one of the first Bills presented to Parliament since Andy Burnham took office.
Mr Burnham, as a Catholic, is technically barred from having input on top appointments to the Church of England.
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Burnham → see → England
The Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1829 states that anyone breaking this law shall be 'deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and disabled for ever from holding any office'.
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anyone → state → office
Now the Church Appointments (Repeal of Discriminatory Provision) Bill, being introduced to the House of Commons on Tuesday, seeks to remove that restriction as well as a similar bar on Jewish PMs.
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Bill → introduce → PMs
The PM's role in religious appointments is largely symbolic, with candidates interviewed and selected by a Church committee, on which the King is represented by the ecclesiastical secretary to the Crown and Lord Chancellor.
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King → interview → Crown
According to official guidance from the Cabinet Office, approval from the PM and the King is only sought 'once a candidate has been chosen and accepted the post'.
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candidate → accord → post
In the interim, Mr Burnham has transferred responsibility for advising on Church of England appointments to Alex Norris, the Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, so that Church appointments can continue.
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appointments → transfer → Norris
Andy Burnham, as a Catholic, is currently barred from advising the King on top appointments to the Church of England
The Government said the short, targeted Bill will 'modernise the law to enable the PM, and any future Jewish or Roman Catholic PM to carry out the complete functions of their office'.
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Bill → bar → office
Up until recent years the 19th-century restrictions had no practical effect as there had not been a Catholic or Jewish PM, and the restrictions do not apply to people of other faiths or of no faith.
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restrictions → have → faith
In July, Mr Burnham became the first PM to enter Downing Street with an openly Catholic faith.
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Burnham → become → faith
The constitutional conundrum over Church of England appointments was previously raised when Boris Johnson was PM.
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Johnson → raise → appointments
Mr Johnson is widely accepted to have been Britain's first Catholic premier, despite his having entered Downing Street in 2019 as an Anglican.
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his → accept → Anglican
When he was a baby, Mr Johnson was baptised into his mother's Catholic faith.
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Johnson → baptise → faith
But he was later confirmed into the Church of England while a pupil at Eton College.
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he → confirm → College
The Tory politician was then said to have 'reverted' to Catholicism when he married Carrie Symonds at Westminster Cathedral – the largest Catholic church in England and Wales – while he was PM in 2021.
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he → say → 2021
It was reported at the time of his wedding that Mr Johnson would pass his duties on Church of England appointments to his Lord Chancellor, Sir Robert Buckland.
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Johnson → report → Chancellor
Mr Burnham announced his intention to change the law in a written statement to Parliament last week.
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Burnham → announce → Parliament
He said it was 'unacceptable for there to be a legislative bar against people of any faith performing all the functions of my office'.
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it → say → office
'The Government will therefore introduce a Bill at the earliest possible opportunity to correct this antiquated and archaic anomaly,' the PM added.
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PM → introduce → anomaly
Senior Tory MP Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, criticised the Government for failing to also bring forward primary legislation to alter its early release scheme for prisoners.
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Timothy → criticise → prisoners
Commenting on the introduction of the Church Appointments (Repeal of Discriminatory Provision) Bill, he posted on X: 'Burnham has time to legislate for this.
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Burnham → comment → this
'That risks rapists, killers and paedophiles challenging the Government - and winning freedom.
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rapists → risk → freedom
'The Justice Secretary says primary legislation will only 'be considered when Parliamentary time allows'.
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time → say → ?
'In the meantime, he's relying on secondary legislation - opening up the risk of legal challenge.'
Stephen Evans, chief executive of the National Secular Society, welcomed the announcement of a law change for Catholic and Jewish PMs but called for the Government to go further.
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Government → rely → PMs
He said: 'These anomalies exist only because government remains entangled with the Church of England.
'
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government → say → England
In a modern democracy, the state should have no role in appointing bishops.
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state → have → bishops
The long-term answer is a clear separation of Church and state.'
Mr Burnham inherited his Catholic faith from his mother, Eileen, and attended Catholic schools during his childhood.
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Burnham → inherit → childhood
He has previously spoken about how his non-Catholic father, Roy, was worried about meeting his mother's family for the first time 'as religion was so important in Liverpool then'.
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religion → speak → Liverpool
Roy Burnham died this week after suffering with Alzheimer's, with the PM cancelling his engagements on Monday and Tuesday.
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PM → die → Monday
The Aporia
